I can't believe Christmas is over. Just last night I was giving the prayer at Shawn's parents house and I almost prayed that we would please be able to enjoy Christmas and keep the Spirit of Christmas in our hearts. The last part is most definitely applicable, and should be my prayer, but I had to catch myself before praying for next years Christmas to be enjoyable.
I don't know if it's just the hormones, the season, or just me being me, but I have been extremely reflective the last few days & today. I have just had a very grateful heart. This post is a little bit journal-esque and may want to be skipped by you casual readers out there. Feel free to proceed, but this one will be a bit more sentimental and take the path of my wandering thoughts from the day.
Today was the first day back to work since last Monday. When I was asked how my time-off was, I replied with how much fun I had with family, how wonderful it was to have a short break from work, and how used to sleeping in I could get. It really was a wonderful Christmas season. There were a few conversations with co-workers that ended with me telling them how much I am homesick for Shawn on this first day back to work. I love that man! This is our second Christmas as husband & wife, but it was our first Christmas at home together. We had a marvelous time! It was such a treat to be more or less together for nearly an entire week. My darn pregnant brain is failing right now to think of day to day events, but more than anything I feel a deeper and more appreciative love for my husband and the family that I married into. Shawn is so consistent at being thoughtful, kind and loving. He always makes me laugh (even if I don't want to be made to laugh) and takes such good care of me. It's been so interesting to see the change that has come since we found out we are having a baby. He swears that there is something instinctual to become more protective of me now that I am pregnant. (I also agree with that---between shoveling the 2-inch layer of ice on our driveway that our landlord had failed to take care of to ensure my safe walking and turning around at the train station just because one morning he was worried that I didn't have my badge or phone or some other "essential" and he had to make sure that I had made it on to the train and wasn't stranded.) But he truly is so thoughtful. For Christmas this year he got us tickets to go see "The Sound of Music" at Tower Theaters. It was a wonderful event! They have a full sing-along presentation and includes with each admission, a bag of props to be used during the movie. It was SO awesome! And now he's been singing songs from "The Sound of Music" ever since. Dream come true.
This year was also my first year away from my immediate family for Christmas. The most difficult day was in fact not Christmas day. The hardest day was the Saturday before when I was still here in Utah and I was talking on the phone with my mom. At the end of our conversation she had to run & get ready so she could go pick up my sisters that were flying down. That really made my heart hurt to know they were all to be together and I would miss that first night of laughing, talking, playing games and catching up. After a few tears I was actually okay for nearly the rest of the holiday. On Christmas day I opened my gifts from my parents. Below is the picture of the first gift I opened from them. It brought me to tears again. This is a toy that my parents brought back to me from Germany when I was only about 5 years old. Opening up the gift and my next one, which was a set of pictures in a picture display that my parents used to have on their entertainment center, brought back a lot of memories. It truly was tender to reflect on the wonderful memories I have, the blessed upbringing I enjoyed and to also begin to prepare for and contemplate the future with our own lil baby coming our way. Honestly, words can't even describe the flood of emotions & the depth of gratitude I felt.
This year has honestly been a dream. We have been so blessed. I feel so blessed. There are a lot of changes and challenges that are coming our way, forever & ever, but I am so grateful for the things that are constant. My testimony in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, my husband, my family, the sun that shines, my health, the hope in tomorrow. My heart is truly full.
